Lufthansa Group has extended its suspension of flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, until 18 November 2026, as airlines continue to assess the security risks following a series of deadly missile and drone attacks targeting the city’s main international airport.
The decision comes despite the reopening of King Khalid International Airport, which had been closed for several days following repeated attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement. Although the airport has resumed accepting arrivals and departures, the threat of further strikes continues to disrupt international flight operations.
The latest extension represents a significant change from Lufthansa’s previous suspension, which was initially scheduled to remain in effect until 16 October. The German airline group had only recently resumed its Frankfurt to Riyadh service on 10 September, operating three weekly flights following an earlier period of disruption across the Middle East.
Deadly Attacks Disrupt Saudi Arabian Aviation
Riyadh’s international airport has experienced significant disruption since the beginning of October, following repeated missile and drone attacks attributed to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen.
The attacks have reportedly left at least 18 people dead and hundreds injured. One particularly devastating strike killed 13 people and injured more than 300 others, raising serious concerns about the ability to maintain safe commercial aviation operations in the Saudi capital.
Airport authorities subsequently suspended operations while security assessments and protective measures were carried out. Although the airport has since reopened, flight activity remains severely restricted.
According to Flightradar24 data cited on 19 October, more than 80 percent of scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport had been cancelled, illustrating the considerable disruption still affecting the airport.
International Airlines Remain Cautious
Lufthansa is far from the only major airline extending its suspension of services to Riyadh. British Airways and KLM have announced that they will avoid the Saudi capital until at least the end of October, while Qatar Airways has suspended flights to both Riyadh and Dammam until further notice.
Several Asian and Middle Eastern carriers have also maintained restrictions on their Saudi Arabian operations, despite the airport’s reopening.
The continued cancellations highlight the distinction between an airport being technically available for operations and airlines considering it sufficiently safe to resume scheduled services.
For Lufthansa, the latest extension further complicates its gradual restoration of Middle Eastern connections. The airline group had been working to rebuild its regional network following earlier security-related suspensions, with Riyadh among the destinations recently restored.
Lufthansa Group has reiterated that it is continuously monitoring developments in the Middle East and maintaining contact with the relevant authorities. Passenger and crew safety remains its primary consideration when determining whether services can resume.
With the security situation remaining unpredictable, the planned 18 November resumption is subject to further assessment, and additional changes to flight schedules remain possible.
